Monday, January 16, 2006

Allotment in January.

For various reasons I didn`t go to the allotment much after about October of last year. The whole greyness and drearyness of the weather depressed me plus I knew it was a mess. A mess I would have to sort out, and I just didn`t want to. I felt so unwell over the last few months of the year (a combination of coming off my antidepressents and a lingering kidney problem, now mecifully sorted) that I just didn`t feel like gardening. At all. In fact for a while I was thinking of turning in my keys and forgetting about the allotment which considering how important it`s been to me over some very stressful periods of my life would have been a very, very bad idea.

This is what my allotment looked like at the start of January, when I hadn`t been near it for over three months.

Disgusting, isn`t it? Total shambles, weedy, crops not cleared...ugh. I`d be ashamed of myself if I didn`t know that I has some really, really good reasons for not having the time or inclination to go gardening.

Here`s what it should be like...well, this picture was taken in March a few years ago, so I`ve got time to catch up.

I`ve been up three times since the first picture was taken, btw, and spent about ten hours just tidying up and clearing rubbish. But of course it`s still January, there`s nothing growing except a few brave weeds and it`s still an extremely bleak place at the moment.

So this next picture is to show you and remind myself what the allotment is all about. No, it`s not picture-perfect, but it was cared for, productive and even, dare I say, quite pretty. This was taken in June 2004.

Mairi loves the allotment. This is last summer...

And this is what it feels like on a good day.

But you do occasionally have to do some work..

Of course, you get lots of nice food at the end...

...occasionally, a bit too much food.

(What`s the little Playmobil lady about? Well, as I said in my profile, I collect Playmobil, both modern and vintage. And they get everywhere.....)

4 comments:

Hi rho, thanks for the compliment. :-) Yes, an allotment is a sort of community garden that you can rent a section of. They`re a long-cherished UK institution!More here, if anyone is interested.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotment_(gardening)

They do these community gardens in Central California along the coast where my daughters live. They work as many plots as they can share around with friends. Your's looks lovely and full of good things to eat!